The Real World |5sos fanfic|

Part 19- Something

Michael pushed me away from him and I stumbled back. He wasn't very good at being subtle or casual. 

Ashton's eyebrows furrowed as he looked between Michael and me waiting for an explanation. I understood he was confused. First I arrive unannounced at his doorstep looking like a mess, cried into his chest and then fell asleep on him all without explanation. Secondly Michael got into his car claiming to have been in a bar fight last night even though the boys had left the bar together and Ashton had dropped Michael home. Not forgetting Michael had frantically begged Ashton not to drop me home almost causing us to crash.

This was all very, very weird.

Michael looked at the ground, kicking a stone around with his foot. 

I thought of something quickly to say and came up with, 'I offered to buy Michael pizza and he was thanking me. After such a rough night I think he needed something to cheer him up.' I smiled at Ashton, trying to sound sincere. 

He looked at me, his mouth hanging open in the shape of a small 'o'. He was about to say something then bit his tongue. 'Alright,' was all he ultimately said.

I nodded and turned down the driveway, walking off to get the pizzas. 

I heard Ashton's voice firm and low behind me, 'Stay the fuck away from her, do you hear me?'

I don't know if Michael didn't reply or if I just didn't hear it.

My stomach knotted. I had a flutter in my heart when Michael was holding me. It was different to how I felt in Ashton's arms. But there was undeniable something there. No, I couldn't have been something. We had shared an unforgettably horrid night together, of course there was something there, just not that kind of something, the kind of something Ashton and I shared. I was confusing myself but settled with that reasoning. 

*

The pizza place wasn't far from Ashton's, maybe a 10 minute walk. The struggle was trying to juggle 5 boxes of large pizza's, garlic bread and drinks. I thought about resting the load on top of my head like I had seen women in African tribes do, but I thought better of it.  God this was so awkward.

In the end I managed to balance everything on top of each other and began to walk more comfortably.  I got home without dropping anything and mentally applauded myself for doing so. 

'I have pizza!' I called, kicking the garage door, unable to open it or knock with my full hands. I could hear the music playing loudly , so I kicked the door harder. They didn't stop. I sighed, I grabbed the bag carrying the sides and drinks in my mouth, gripping the boxes of pizza with one arm. I slowly stretched out my free hand, grasping the door handle. As I began to push down on it I felt my hold on the boxes slip, sending them crashing to the ground. 

Seriously?!

I got down on my hands and knees trying to salvage what I could. Thankfully only one box had opened, causing contact between the food and ground. The rest were perfectly sound. I examined the wounded soldier, dirtied with small pebbles. I wiped them off and shrugged. No one had to know. Just as I was closing the lid the garage door opened. Calum looked down at me, sitting on the ground, huntched over the boxes with a guilty look on my face.

'That better not have been mine,' he said, reading the situation.

'It was Luke's,' I said quietly.

He smiled widely, 'Thank fuck for that!' 

*

We sat on the floor of the garage enjoying our dinner. We laughed and joked and chatted easily.